1997 François Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition

[Mike Evans]

I decided that lunch with family at a terrific restaurant was a fitting setting for my last bottle of 1997 Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition, a wine that has seen so many family celebrations through the years, and it again performed admirably. This bottle is probably a little past peak, showing a little oxidation, but Chenin handles a little oxidation pretty well as the honeyed stone fruit and minerals seem to absorb it. With the sec tendre sweetness and still lively acidity, it is made for food, and paired brilliantly with a range of inventive and delicious dishes focused on seafood and vegetables, though it worked with a raw beef dish just as well. The wine may be gone, but the memories of it will last for a long time.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

Thanks, Mike. I too have always loved this wine. I have 2 bottles left and think it may be time to pull one.

 

[BJ]

Nice note, thanks. Love having favorite wines over time like that -

 

[Michael Lewis]

Great note, thanks. The 1997 Sec has also seemed a little past its prime lately. But 20 years is a decent run.

 

[Brad Kane]

As I mentioned on your post on facebook, great stuff. A bottle I had last year seems like it showed fresher than yours. I still have four left. First Pinon bottling I ever purchased. I remember Dressner used to argue with David Lillie at Garnet back then about whether the price should be $12.99 or $13.99.

In the pigs fly category, I agree with Michael. I've found the '97 Sec to show more advanced than the Tradition.

 

[Jay Miller]

Haven't had that in forever but loved it back in the day. Wish I'd had the foresight to save some. And some of the Novembre. And some of the...

 

[Mike Evans]

originally posted by Brad Kane:
As I mentioned on your post on facebook, great stuff. A bottle I had last year seems like it showed fresher than yours. I still have four left. First Pinon bottling I ever purchased. I remember Dressner used to argue with David Lillie at Garnet back then about whether the price should be $12.99 or $13.99.

In the pigs fly category, I agree with Michael. I've found the '97 Sec to show more advanced than the Tradition.

I told my family yesterday that it cost me about $13, so my memory was correct. What great value, as it has been so good for so long. I've found that older whites with a touch of RS are the ideal wines for the food at Staplehouse, Atlanta's best restaurant IMO. Past successes were my last 1971 Huet Haut-Lieu Demi Sec and a 1997 Schlumberger Kitterle.

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

97 tradition is better now than ever. I wonder how much longer it will stay at this level.